this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2025
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A Virginia Beach nurse claims a controversial artificial intelligence upstart manipulated her 11-year-old son into having virtual sex with chatbot “characters” posing as iconic vocalist Whitney Houston and screen legend Marilyn Monroe, after which she discovered X-rated exchanges on the boy’s phone that left her “horrified,” according to a federal lawsuit reviewed by The Independent.

Throughout one “incredibly long and graphic chat” on the Character.AI platform, which has been accused of driving numerous young people to suicide, the chatbot portraying Houston took things to such an extreme that portions of “her” messages were automatically filtered out for not complying with the site’s terms of service and community guidelines, the complaint states.

During the conversation – a screenshot of which is included in the complaint – the system cuts “Whitney” off as an extremely graphic passage becomes even raunchier.

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[–] Blackfeathr@lemmy.world 123 points 4 days ago (5 children)

"I'd rather make out with my Monroebot"

Futurama satire is becoming reality

[–] Salamanderwizard@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago (1 children)

We're in a cocktail mix of Futurama and Idiocracy.

[–] Steve@startrek.website 12 points 4 days ago

And a lot 1984

[–] ryan213@lemmy.ca 17 points 4 days ago

I love you PHILLIP J FRY.

[–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

I knew I should've shown him Electro-Gonorrhea: The Noisy Killer.

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 8 points 4 days ago

Barbeaubot FTW

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I think it has been since the show came out.

Fiction <> Reality at this point

[–] kelpie_returns@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Fiction and reality have always had murky borders. Not that you're wrong tho

[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 54 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

Is this grandpa blaming his grandson? What fucking 11 year old has access to "any celebrity" and chooses a woman that's been dead before their parents were born, or a ... 60? 80? plus year old woman?

EDIT: Whitney houston is messing up my head, she was born in 1963, died 2012 but was under 50? (aged 48). I thought she was way older and alive. Also, I imagine people from the 60s to be old as fuck now. Although I thought she was like 30 or 40 during the 80s.

IDFK, I can barely remember my own age.

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago

I suppose those celeb nudes are public domain and royalty free now

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 7 points 4 days ago

You might be right. That would be really cruel of grandpa, because everyone probably knows who the mom is in the neighborhood suing.

[–] BananaIsABerry@lemmy.zip 25 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Parents would be horrified to learn what was easily found when I was 11 on the internet.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 5 points 3 days ago
[–] ImgurRefugee114@reddthat.com 32 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Monroe? HOUSTON? Not an anime catgirl, busty succubus, eldrich tentacle monster, or the character from his favorite innocent kids cartoon?

This generation is doomed...

[–] AngryishHumanoid@lemmynsfw.com 20 points 4 days ago

Ugh, chatbots that let you message a sexy big boobed succubus? Absolutely disgusting. What kind of websites would let someone do that? Are they free?

[–] etherphon@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago
[–] RonnyZittledong@lemmy.world 24 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

A boy who likes the classics! I wonder what he talks to them about? Catches them up on the current state of Roblox?

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 16 points 4 days ago

I'm kind of thinking that kid is cool, he's very open.

[–] ChairmanMeow@programming.dev 10 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Forgive me, but the kid had talked to these bots for 2 weeks? And after taking the phone away mom sent him to therapy? That seems... extreme to me, how much damage did those chatbots cause in such a short time?

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago

They literally sucked all of his " life force " out in the floor. Sometimes twice per day.

Nowhere near as much as his mum finding out

[–] Hermit_Lailoken@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Them freaking out and punishing about this would likely cause more harm. Nothing like therapy at a young age to reinforce feelings of alienation amongst their peers.

[–] Lembot_0006@programming.dev 13 points 4 days ago

Poor kid. His mother will suck enough of his blood until he would have a chance to move out.

[–] pleaseletmein@lemmy.zip 9 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I don’t use it, so maybe I missed something, but I could have sworn there was some drama a couple months back because Character AI makes you give them a photo of your ID to use it now. Did they backtrack on that, or was it just regional or something?

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 2 points 3 days ago

Jesus, that's so much worse

[–] arararagi@ani.social 2 points 3 days ago

It's regional, can confirm that I never got asked for my ID since I don't live in europe or north america.

[–] VerilyFemme@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 4 days ago

Don't let AI Jackie find out...

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 3 points 3 days ago

What exactly are the parents upset about? I don't get it.

[–] devolution@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Pre Crack Whitney or post Crack Whitney? Marlin Monroe or thicc Norma Jean?